Support for Progressive Organizations in Region Affected by South Asia Earthquake
The recent South Asia earthquake had its epicenter just northwest of Pakistan’s capital Islamabad. The bulk of the devastation has been in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and to a lesser extent in Indian-controlled Kashmir and Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province. Estimates of the dead are up to 40,000 and perhaps more. Millions are homeless as winter is setting in.
Grassroots International currently does not work in South Asia but our Staff, Board and supporters recognize that besides the widespread devastation and the impact on peoples in the region, groups engaged in ongoing struggles for social and economic justice are also affected.
For those Grassroots International donors and colleagues who wish to directly support progressive groups working in the region we have posted this list of organizations doing relief work to which you can donate. This list has been put together by a number of progressive South Asian activists in the United States. The list includes both organizations that are registered in the United States and organizations that are based in Pakistan and India. Grassroots International has not necessarily funded or vetted these groups, so donors must use their own discretion.
Progressive organizations working on South Asia Earthquake Relief that you can donate to in the United States.
The first three are groups that you can donate to from within the United States as they are registered here.
Pakistan International Airlines is also providing free shipping of relief material goods and there is information below for information on how you can contribute.
The last three are groups in Pakistan and India that you can also donate to or contact to find out how to donate. GRI has not necessarily funded or vetted these groups, so donors must use their own discretion.
For Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir
Eqbal Ahmad Foundation (Progressive/Secular/Foundation)
The Eqbal Ahmad Foundation is a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c) (3) of the internal revenue code. Therefore, your donation is tax deductible. If you wish to receive a letter acknowledging your donation for tax purposes, please include your mailing address. For tax purposes, all donations over $250 must include your name and mailing address. All funds sent to Eqbal Ahmad Foundation will be transferred to QAU-EAF Earthquake Relief Fund, which has been set up especially by the Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. The EAF will channel all funds received to groups working on the ground.
Checks should be made out to EAF -EARTHQUAKE RELIEF FUND and mailed to Eqbal Ahmad Foundation, P.O. Box 222, Princeton, NJ 08542.
Should you have any questions about how to make or send a donation, please contact the Foundation’s Vice President, Zia Mian at zia@princeton.edu.
Edhi International Foundation (Liberal/Foundation)
Edhi has a long history of working across Pakistan doing a range of charitable relief work. It has one of the most extensive networks across each of the country’s provinces.
Edhi International Foundation
42-07 National Street
Corona, NY 11368
Tel: (718) 639-5120
Email: edhi@cyber.net.pk
For India and Indian-administered Kashmir
CHINAR (Progressive/Secular/NGO)
Child Nurture and Relief (CHINAR) is an independent, non-profit organization working for the psychosocial rehabilitation of orphaned and vulnerable children in conflict areas – irrespective of race, religion, culture or gender. CHINAR USA is formally registered in the United States and its partner organization CHINAR Kashmir is similarly registered in India.
Earthquake Relief Fund: CHINAR has set up a fund to help the victims of South Asia’s devastating earthquake. The relief effort will be handled by our team in Kashmir-CHINAR Kashmir.
See their website for more information on how to donate.
For Donation of Goods in the United States
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA)
PIA has offered to ship any earthquake relief effort packages especially medicines, blankets, jackets, and surgical equipment, which are needed immediately in Pakistan, free of charge.
Go to the Association of Pakistani Professionals website at http://aopp.org/eq to find procedures as well as the form that needs to be filled out before shipping the package.
For more information click here or contact Fahad Aziz at fahad@aopp.org or Samad Wazir at samad@aopp.org.
A list of progressive organizations working on South Asia Earthquake Relief that you can donate to by sending checks from the United States.
Note: Dollar accounts denote Bank accounts that can receive checks in US Dollars as opposed to Pakistani or Indian Rupees.
For Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir
Sungi Development Foundation (Liberal/Secular/NGO)
All Pakistani human rights organizations in the Joint Action Committee for Citizens’ Rights (JAC) have banded together for the relief work with the NGO Sungi in the lead. Sungi has previous experience with relief work since they started with a flood relief program some
decades ago. The organizations in the JAC have long worked with local communities in the region of the earthquake and are thus able to access remote villages through social networks that are not available to the military and large donor organizations.
If people want to contribute to the combined relief effort of JAC, they can send money directly to SUNGI at:
Sungi Development Foundation
US Dollar account no. 412-2
Branch Code: 0585
Muslim Commercial Bank Star Branch (Branch Code 0585)
Abbotabad, Pakistan
Swift Code: MUCBPKKAA
For more information contact Naeem Iqbal at naeem.iqbal@sungi.org or Riaz Ahmed at riaz.ahmad@sungi.org.
Shirkat Gah Women’s Resource Centre (Progressive/Women’s/NGO)
Shirkat Gah Women’s Resource Centre is involved in the JAC effort and is accepting funds for transferring to JAC’s resource pool. Shirkat Gah in Lahore is acting as a collection point for JAC and for another effort led by Naila Hussain and Lahore’s National College of Arts (that lost several students and/or their families). Shirkat Gah is also working in collaboration with a hospital and medical foundation and a rural support program with local offices in the area. Shirkat Gah’s Peshawar office, located closest to the area, is providing direct assistance to villagers.
Some needed supplies are no longer available in Islamabad and Abbotabad. So we are buying goods and sending 1-2 trucks everyday from Lahore to northern locations specified by Sungi. The truckers have now offered this service free.
Shirkat Gah is sending, as asked, shrouds for the dead, as well as tents, quilts and blankets for those who have survived. We are sending with every truck a few dozen baby bottles for feeding nursing infants who have lost their mothers. It would be best if we receive money, rather than goods, at this point, as it is much faster for us to source the items in Pakistan or India. In Lahore, the market is now completely out of tents and quilts, with blankets now available only at one exhibition fair.
If you would like to support Shirkat Gah’s relief effort, these are our banking details:
Account name: Shirkat Gah Women’s Resource Centre
Account No. 3582-050996-001
SWIFT code: SCBLUS33, ABA CHIPS UID 057048
Standard Chartered Bank
1 Evertrust Plaza, Suite 1101, 11th floor, Jersey City, NJ 07302, USA
With instructions for onward telex / swift remittance to:
Standard Chartered Bank
Karachi, Pakistan
Account No. 3582-050996-001 SWIFT CODE: SCBLPKKX
For further credit to
Shirkat Gah
US$ Account No. 05-5307597-79
Standard Chartered Bank
New Garden Town
Lahore, Pakistan
A bank transfer is best, rather than sending bank drafts and international checks which take too long to clear. Gulnar is Shirkat Gah’s focal point for our relief efforts and can answer any questions you may have. Her email address is: gulnar@sgah.org.pk If you are sending money to Shirkat Gah, please email Gulnar to inform her of the amount, date and reference number of the remittance, so that we can email you to acknowledge receipt. We will send you updates whenever possible.
For India and Indian-administered Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (Liberal/Secular/Movements+NGOs)
Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society
C/O Mr. Parvez Imroz
The Bund, Amira Kadal,
Srinagar 190001
Jammu and Kashmir
India
ATHROT: Relief Action Program for Earthquake Victims
We need your donations in cash and kind to support the relief program for:
1. Relief and Rehabilitation of Uri victims
2. Emergency relief program for Tangdar victims
3. Blood Donation for Azad Kashmir victims
- Donations in Cash may be deposited at Jammu and Kashmir Bank, Polo view Branch, on account of JKYF account number SB 1169
- Clothes, blankets, tents, food items and other donations in kind may be handed over to our volunteers at ATHROT collection counter at Lal Chowk, Srinagar
- Donations will also be directly accepted at our camps at Salamabad, Uri and Tangdar
- BLOOD DONATION CAMP for Azad Kashmir victims will be held on Sunday 16th of October 2005.
ATHROT is a collective initiative supported by Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society, Jammu and Kashmir Yateem Foundation, Help Poor Voluntary Trust, Friends of Humanity, Student’s Helpline, Kashmiri Women’s Initiative for Peace and Disarmament, Apna Ghar, Youth for Humanity, Bar Association Budgam and students from Kashmir University and different colleges and members from the business community.
In this hour of despair and tragedy we appeal to people of Jammu & Kashmir on both sides of control line to rise up to the occasion to help their calamity-struck brethren by all means necessary.
ATHROT program solicits support and cooperation from all concerned organizations and individuals to put up a united, organized, concerted and sustained resistance to the present calamity.